The disclosed technology regards energy absorbing structures for underbody blast protection. More specifically, the disclosed technology includes novel energy absorbing cruciform crush elements (CCE) and a de-coupled V-hull structure attachable to a vehicle by crush elements, such as the energy absorbing cruciform crush elements disclosed.
To protect military vehicles from destruction, and passengers from injury when subjected to underbody mine or improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, V-hull structures are incorporated into and coupled with the underside of wheeled armored personnel carriers (APCs), infantry mobility vehicles and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). By their design, upward directed blasts are deflected away from the vehicle. Further, the angular faces of the V-hull increase the amount of material a ballistic projectile must pass through in order to penetrate the vehicle.
V-hulls are typically coupled with the vehicle's monocoque or body-on-frame chassis, or even directly to the crew compartment. In light armored vehicles (5-10 tons), where underbody blasts create large vertical loading, V-hulls can currently resist projectile breaching, but they quickly transmit vertical loads into the crew compartment. In some armored vehicles, seat and floor structures are provided with energy absorption components to mitigate injuries to crew from underbody blasts; however, occupants can still suffer severe injury.
The present technology improves survivability of lightweight armored vehicles and reduces injury to its crew by absorbing energy before it is transmitted to the vehicle/crew compartment, wherein the underbody hull comprises energy absorbing reinforcing elements, being de-coupled from the crew compartment using energy absorbing (EA) structures. This novel approach of decoupling the V-hull by crush elements can work with currently available technology, such as EA seating and flooring, to further enhance survivability.
By the V-hull's de-coupled attachment to the vehicle and its novel reinforcing structure and configuration as herein described, a significant decrease in blast-induced accelerations transmitted to the crew compartment of a vehicle can be achieved. Further, the EA crush elements provide a uniform and effective crush, absorbing energy from the blast; and the novel sliding affixation of the crush elements to the V-hull as hereinafter described further mitigate blast-induced structural motions.